Vesuvio with Caponata

Dice the eggplants into 1/2 inch pieces. Place in a colander over a bowl or the sink, and season with one tablespoon of salt. Let sit for an hour, then rinse with cold water and dry thoroughly.

Place the raisins in a heat-safe ramekin. Pour boiling water over to cover, and let soak for 10 minutes, then drain. Set aside.

When the eggplant is dry, heat 2/3 of a cup of the olive oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Stir in the eggplant, and fry until golden on all sides, stirring often. Transfer from the pot to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Take the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add to a medium pot over medium low heat. Stir in minced onion and celery, and saute to soften, but not brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the olives and saute a minute or two more. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes, and bring to a simmer, 10-15 minutes, until the sauce is beginning to thicken. Season with a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper.

Stir the raisins, capers, sugar and vinegar into the sauce, and bring to a boil. Add in the eggplant and cook another 10-15 minutes, until sauce comes together.

Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook vesuvio to al dente, according to the instructions on the box. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.

Drain pasta, then toss in the caponata sauce and simmer together for a minute or two to allow the sauce to stick to the pasta. Add in pasta water as needed, to achieve your desired pasta sauce texture.  Serve!

We love seeing your pasta creations! Share your pasta pics with us on social by tagging @sfoglini and using #sfoglini